Bottle-washing machine.



Patented Jn. 23, 1917.

5 SHiETS-SHEET l.

W. WACHS 6L R. L. GALLUP.

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE.

n APPLICATION min sEPT.1. Isls. 1,213,307.

5' SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917. 4

W. WACHS @L RQ L. GALLUP.

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE.

APPLlVCATION FILED SEPT. I, 1915. 1,213,30?.

Lmse:

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I, V

W. WACHS & R. L. GALLUP. BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE.

i APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I. i915. L,

atente 5am. 23, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W. WACHS & R. L. GALLUP.

. BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1 V 1915.

1,21 3,307. Ptented Jan. 23, 1917.

riors and eXteriors of the bottles.

WALTER WACHS AND RCKWELL L. GALLUP, 0F CHCGI, ILLINGIS.

BOTTLE-WASHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented aan. 23, 1era.

Application led September 1, 1915. Serial No. 48,423.

To all whom t may concern.' l

Be it known that we, WALTER WACHS and RoCKwnLL L. GALLUP, both citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Washin Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to bottle washing machines of the general character employed in washing and cleansing bottles of various character, such as pop bottles, beer bottles, milk bottles, and the like. The form of the invention illustrated in the present instance is more particularly adapted for'handling pop bottles.

In order to secure the best results in washing bottles, it has heretofore been the prac tice to run the bottles through two machines, one of which was called the soaker, and the other the washer. In the soaker, the bottles were subjected to the action of a caustic solution, which loosened the dirt and also the labels from the bottles. In the washer the bottles were subjected to jets of liquid under high pressure, and in some instances, brushes were also employed for scrubbing the inte- It has been found that the best results are obtained in the soaker when the bottles are immersed in the soaking solution for a moderate period of time, the results obtained by immersion being superior to those obtained by throwing jets of the soaking solution s against the surface of the bottles.

One of the primary objects of our present invention is to provide a machine which will comprehend and include in a single machine all of the advantages of both the soaker and high pressure washer, such as have ordi-V narily been employed.

lVith this end in View, a more specific object is to provide a machine comprising a soaking tank through which the bottles are carried while submerged in the soaking solution, and also comprising a water receptacle over which the bottles travel after they have emerged from the soaking solution, and from which water is delivered to the interiors and exteriors of the bottles to wash off the soaking solution and such dirt and labels as may still be clinging to the bottle.

Another object of our invention is to provide a machine which can be positioned in i the bottling room, adjacent to the bottling machine, and into whichthe dirty bottles may be fed and from which they will emerge thoroughly cleaned, so that they may be placed immediately in the bottling machine to be lled. The provision of a machine which can be placed in the bottling room and which will occupy avrelatively small amount ofspace is of material importance and benefit for the reason that it eliminatesv the washing room entirely from the plant and also the necessity of transporting the dirty bottles to the washing room, and re turning them to the bottling room.

Another object of our invention is to provide a machine which will be narrow, so that a man may stand at one side of the machine, remove the clean bottles from the carrler, set them on the lling machine, and replace the filled bottles on. the carrier when they are subsequently rinsed to remove the syrup which may vhave accumulated thereon from the lling machine.'

Still another object is the provision of novel and improved bottle holders which Will be adapted to clamp and support bottles in upright position during their travel through the soaking solution, and` to provide in connection with the holders means for automatically opening the holders to permit the removal of the bottles therefrom` at a predetermined point in their travel through the machine, and which will subsequently automatically close and hold the dirty bottles which have replaced the clean bottles removed. j j

An additional object is to provide a niachine which will be simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, easy and economical .to operate, and one in which the working -parts will be extremely simple and not likely to get out of order while running.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of our invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art as the same can be understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. v

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is van enlarged fragmentary View taken longitudinally through one end of the machine shownin Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan observed that the machine comprises essenv view of the bottle conveyer and holder; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a similar view `showing the position of the parts when the bottles are carried in upright position on the lower lap of the conveyer; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan View of a modified form of bottle holder; Fig. 9 is an elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the holder in open position; and Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

By reference to the drawings and more particularly to Figs.1 to 3 thereof, it will be tially lan elongated narrow tank 12, preferably made of sheet metal, and supported upon suitable bases 13, the frame ofthe tank being constructed preferably of angle irons 14, which lend rigidity and strength to the structure. This ,tank is adapted to contain a soaking solution, customarily caustic soda, and the solution is maintained at the Vrequired temperature by means of heating coils 15, connected with a suitable source of steam supply, the coils being supported centrally of the tank -upon standards 16, `as shown.A

The tank is preferably open at the top, and is provided in its upper portion with a water receptaclel 17 extending partially throughout the length 'of the tank. This receptacle, as will be manifest from the drawings, is not in communication with the soaking tank, but

is adapted to 'contain a body of Water which is delivered to the bottles after they emerge from the tank.

Upon the heating coils in the tank there is mounted by means of brackets or supports 18, a single track 19, which, as best shown in Fig. 3, is channel-shaped in cross section. Directly above this track is a similar channel-shaped track 21' which extends longitudinally centrally of the tank, and over the water receptacle 17, the ends of the track 21 being curved downwardly,yas shown in Fig. 1. The tracks 19 and 21' are designed to form a guide-way and support for an endless chain conveyer 22, which travels around the water receptacle 17, the upper lap of the chain traveling -over the receptacle, land the lower lap traveling beneath the receptacle through the soa-king solution in the tank. The conveyer comprises a series of links pivotally connected together by pins 23 upon each of which is rotatably mounted a roller 24 adapted to travel in the channel-shaped tracks 19 and 21.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3 to .7, inclusive, 1t will be observed that each side member 25 of the conveyer is provided with an integral laterally extending arm 26, shaped at its outer end to provide a bottle receiving socket 27 into which the bottles to be cleaned are inserted. The bottles are inserted in the sockets in the upper lap of the conveyer, the bottles at this time being in inverted position; butk for the purpose of l clamping and holding the bottles in the conveyer when they are turned to upright position as they are during their travel through the soaking tank beneath the water receptacle, we have provided bottle holding means which will noW be described. Since each arm 26 is equipped with oneY ofv these lbottle holding means, and since all of the bottle holding means are substantially iden tical in construction, a detailed description of one will suiice for an understanding of our present invention.

A vpair of clamping jaws 28 is pivoted upon a pin 29 projecting into a suitable,

socket formed integral with and adjacent'to the bottle socket 27, thel pin beingheld in position therein to support the javvsk by means of a cotter pin 31. The jaws are shaped as shown in Fig. '4, so that-when open, they do A not extend within the inner perimeter of the' bottle socket, but when moved to closed position', as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, they embrace the neck ofthe bottle 32, just below the head 33 thereof, and thereby prevent the bottle from being withdrawn from the socket'. The j jaws are normally held in closed positiouby means of a coiled contraction spring 34 attached, at its ends to the jaws and held by screw pins 35. It will thus be apparent that when .the jaws are closed by the spring, a bottle will beI locked and held in the socket, so that it may be carried in upright'position by the conveyer through the lsoaking 'solution in the tank 12, as shown in Fig. 2.

Since it is essential that the bottle holding jaws be open at the point of travel of the conveyer where the clean bottles are removed from the machine, and are replaced by dirty bottles, we have provided a construction for automatically opening the jaws and maintaining them in open position for a certain distance, one form of which means will now be described.

By reference to Fig. 5, it will be observed that the rear ends of the jaws 28 are equipped with downwardly projecting lingers 36, and

for the purpose of' spreadingl these fingers apart to open "the jaws, we ave provided stationary jaw opening'devices 37,. of sub` stantially channel-shaped construction, as shown in Fig. 3; these devices being positioned at each side of the track 21 in alinement with the bottle sockets which travel thereover. These devices 37 are of the requisite length to maintain the holding jaws in open position, the required length of time, and they are formed at 4their ends to provide inclined or cam surfaces 38, which will pass between the fingers 36 as the carrier' travels along toward the left, as shown in Fig. 4, and will gradually spread the fingers to open the jaws, in the position shown in this gure.

. of time.

The c'lean bottles may now be removed and dirty bottles may be inserted in the sockets, whereupon, as the conveyer travels along, the fingers 36 will travel over the inclined surfaces 39 at the opposite ends of the opening devices, thereby permitting the jaws to gradually close about the bottle necks, and clamp them without violently striking the bottles,.so as to break them. In Fig. 6 the holding jaws are shown in open position with the bottle 32 in inverted position, Awhile in Fig. 7, the jaws are shown in closed position to hold the bottle in the socket in upright position as it travels through the soaking tank.

In the construction just described, the devices 37 are relied upon to maintain the holding jaws in open position the requisite length For the purposeV of relieving the friction between the fingers 36 and the devices 37, caused by the action of the springs 34 during this extended travel of the conveyer, we have provided an alternative construction which is shown in Figs. 8 to 1l, inclusive, by which the jaws are positively locked in open position, instead of being held open by devices 37. Referring now to these figures, it will be observed that the forward end of each jaw 28 beyond the pivot pin is provided with an extension 38. Upon one of these extensions we have pivoted a latch 39 which is equipped with a shoulder 41, adapted to en gage, when the jaws are in open position, with a corresponding shoulder 42 on the other extension 38, to thereby lock the jaws in open position as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. A spring 43 overlying the latch 39 is adapted to urge the latch into locking position when the jaws are open. As previously explained, the greater portion of their travel, as shown in Fig. 8, but for the purpose of opening them at the requisite time, we employ an opening device 43 having inclined or cam surfaces 44 similar to the inclined surfaces38 previously described. When the fingers 36 ride along the surfaces 44, the jaws are moved to open position, whereupon they are locked in this position by the latch 39. The devices 43 are only of sufficient length to open the jaws and permit them to be locked by the latch which holds them in this position until it is subsequently released by mechanism vwhich will now be described.

Fig. 8 represents the position of the parts just prior to the opening of the jaws by the device 43, and Fig. 10 represents the position of the parts whenthey are locked in open position by the latch 39. During the time that the jaws are locked in open position, the clean bottles are removed, and replaced by dirty bottles, and thereafter the latch is released to permit the jaws to close about. the bottle necks. The release of the latch is effected by a stationary device 45 provided jaws are Aclosed during the idly, but will be with an inclined surface 46, path of travel of the latch 39, so that as the outer end of the latch travels up the inclined surface 46, the shoulder 41 is lifted from engagement with the shoulder 42, mitting the jaws to be closed by the spring 34. In o rder that the jaws may not snap together, and thereby crack the bottle, we employ a device 47, having cam surfaces 48 against which the fingers 36 will rest when the latch 39 is released, and as the conveyer travels along the inclines 48, permit the jaws to close gradually, thereby preventing breakage of the bottle.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that the latch 39 performs the function of a considerable portion of the length of the device 37, and frictional pressure is theref fore exerted upon the fingers 36 only upon the opening and closing movements of the holding jaws, thereby making the machine run easily.

The structure of the conveyer and the bottle holders being understood, we will now explain the mechanism by means of which the conveyer is intermittently advanced.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, reference character 47 indicates a pawl shaped to engage the rollers 24, the pawl being pivoted at 48 on an ariii 49 fixed on a rock shaft 51, which has fixedly secured at its outer end a slotted arm 52. The arm 52 is oscillated to rock the shaft 51 by meansof a sliding block 53 adapted to slide in the slot 54 of the arm, said block being carried by a crank 55 fixedly mounted upon acontinuously rotating shaft 56. provided at one end with an internal gear 57, which meshes with and is drivenjf'by pinion 58, fixed upon the shaft 59 which is also equipped with a gear 61, which meshes with and is driven by a pinion 62 fixed on the main drive shaft 63.

provided with fast and loose pulleys 64. and 65 to which power is supplied by a belt rom any suitable source of power. It

will thus be manifest that the continuously thereby perf* The sha-ft 56 is positioned in the The drive Shaft is rotating drive shaft 63` through the intermediary of the mechanism just described oscillates the rock shaft 51 to advance and retract the pawl 57, thereby driving or advancing the conveyer by a step by-step movement. It should be noted at this point that by reason ofthe sliding connection between the block 53 and the slotted arm 52, the pawl 47 will be advanced quickly to move the bottles along rapreturned upon its idle becausethe application of power to the arm 52 is much farther from the pivot shaft 51 than it is uponthe operative stroke of the pawl. It is understood, of course, that the shaftv56 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2. This construction permits the bottles to be movement slowly,

, the interiors of the bottles.

labels. As the bottles emerge from the solution and assume an inverted position, as.

shown in Fig. 1, the solution runs out of the bottles back into the tank. The labels, however, while loosened by the solution, may still be clinging to the outsides of the bottles, and for the purpose of removing the labels, dirt, etc., which may be adhering to the bottles, we discharge at this qpoint against the outsides of the bottles under high pressure streams of the soaking solution. For this purpose we provide a centrifugal pump 67 mounted on the outside of the tank 12, having its intake connected with the tank near the forward end of the machine. The discharge from the pump is conducted by pipe 68 to a jet or spray nozzle 69 located at the rear end of the machine in the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the streams or sprays of the soaking solution are discharged downwardly over the bottles as they emerge from the tank, therebyremoving. the dirt and labels which may be adhering to the bottles. By reason of the fact that the tank is only slightly wider than two bottles abreast, it will be manifest that by withdrawing the solution from one end of the tank and returning it to the other end a current of fluid is continuously flowing from the rear to the front end of the tank in opposition to the direction of travel of the bottles and in direct contact therewith so that the cleaning of thel bottles is greatly facilitated by this counter-current of the solution. The bottles then travel to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, upon the upper lap of the conveyer, over the water receptacle 17. A series of spray nozzles 71 are positioned beneath and in alinement with the bottles of the conveyer, so that as the bottles are successively advanced by a step-by-step movement, as previously described, water from these successive nozzles is discharged into During the travel of the bottles from one nozzle to the next, their exteriors are subjected to the action of the continuously discharging nozzles. Vater is supplied to the nozzles 71 from the receptacle 17 from a centrifugal pump 72, mounted on the tank 12, and having its intake connected with the receptacle 17. A discharge pipe 7 3 conducts the water from the pump to the nozzles 71.

When the bottles emerge from the soaking solution, they are very hot, but they are cooled somewhat by the water from the nozzles 71, since the water in the receptacle 17 is cooler than the soaking solution. The

v by fresh,

water in the receptacle is heated somewhat from the soaking solution in the tank, and is also further heated by its contact with the hot bottles. This water would eventually reach the temperature of the soaking solution were it not being constantly renewed cold water which not only keeps the temperature of the water in the receptacle below that of the soaking solution,but also prevents the water from becoming unduly dirty and alkaline from the soaking solution, which traveling bottles.

In order to prevent the water from the nozzles 71 from spraying outside of the machine, we have provided a cover or canopy 74, extending partially throughout the length of the machine, as shown in'Fig. 1. The pumps 67 and 72 are continuouslydriven from the main shaft 63 by means of a drive chain 75 trained over a sprocket on the drive shaft and over sprockets on each of the pump shafts. An idler sprocket 76 is provided to maintain the requisite tension on the chain. After the bottles have been subjected to the action of the jets issuing -from the nozzles 71, they are next brought over nozzles 77 from which clean, fresh water is intermittently discharged into the bottles positioned thereover. This water is obtained from a city main or from any suitable source, and supplied through a pipe 78 which is equipped with a valve 79, the

is washed off from the4 specific structure of which forms no part of my present invention. Water is delivered from the valve 79 to nozzles 77 through a pipe 80. The valve shown comprises a casing divided by a central partition having a series of radial ports, and a similar plate provided with companion ports 81 is mounted on a shaft to revolve in contact with the partition plate. A ratchet wheel 82 is mounted on the shaft carrying the plate, and an arm 83 pivoted on this shaft is equipped with a dog 84, adapted to engage with the ratchet wheel and impart a partial rotation to the shaft at each actuation of the arm. The outervend of the arm is con'- nected by a link 85 with the slotted arm 52. When the arm 52 is operated to advance the carrier, the valve is operated to shut off the water supply during the advance of the carrier, but when the carrier reaches the end of its periodic movement, the ports 81 have been moved into register again with the ports in the partition plate, so that water is admitted to the nozzles 7 7 until the next advancing movement of the carrier begins. A spray pipe 86 (Figs. 2 and 3), is also connected to the valve 79 by pipe 87, and each time the valve is opened, clean, fresh water is sprayed over the outside of the bottles through the spray pipe 86. The clean, fresh water which is delivered through the spray 'oipe 86 and throu h the nozzles 77 r11-ne back into the water receptacle 17,. thereby renewing and replenishing the water in this receptacle, soas to insure, clean, freshwater, and to prevent the temperature lfrom rislng too high, the surplus water from the reservoir beingdischarged through a suitable overflow pipe (not shown). It should be noted that the bottles are partially cooled by the water from the jets 71, and then further cooled by the clean, cold water from the nozzles 77, so that when they have reached a point between the canopy and the driving mechanism, they are cool enough to be handled by the operator and placed in the filling machine.

The operation of our machine is as fol lows :-The bottle holders, when near the' left-hand end of the machine, viewing Fig. 1, are open, so that filled bottles may be removed and dirty bottles inserted. Before the carrier travels downwardly into" the soaking tank, the bottle holding jaws automatically close, as previously described, thereby clamping the bottles to the carrier. They then travel in upright position through the soaking solution in the tank, and eventually emerge at the other end, where the solution runs out of the bottles and the labels and dirt are knocked off from the outside by the spray of soaking solution issuing from the nozzles 69. The bottles then continue Iby a step-by-step movement toward the left, viewing Fig. 1, and are subjected to the action of the continually operating nozzles 71,A the water from which gradually cools the bottles and then they are subjected to the action of the cool, clean, fresh water from the nozzles 77. After they leave the nozzles 77, the cleaned bottles are removed from the machine and placed by an operative on a syruping, filling and capping machine, located beside chine. .The same operative replaces the removed bottles by filled and capped bottles which are placed in the carrier in inverted position, S0 that the Syrup will be thorou hly mixed with the carbonated water in the ottles. VThe filled bottles then pass beneath the spray pipe 86, by which any syrup adhering to the outside of the bottles is removed. The filled bottles are then removed and .placed in crates on a conveyer at the left-hand end of the machine, by another operative who replaces the filled bottles with dirty bottles from the crates. It will be obvious that our machine is capable of handling quarts, pints, or splits, without readjustrnent, and that it eliminates the trucking and transportation of the bottles back and forth `between the usual washing and bottling rooms.

It is believed that our invention and its mode of operation will be understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should be obvious that various mechanical changes in the parts shown and dethe washing ma- 1. In a bottle washing machine, the com bination of a tank adapted to contain a soakin solution, means disposed within the tank or heating the solution contained therein, a water receptacle mounted in the upper portion of said tank, an endless conveyer mounted to travel around said receptacle without entering the same, a series of bottle holders mounted on said conveyer, means for spraying the soaking solution from said tank over .the bottles as they emerge from the tank, means for spraying water from -said receptacle over the interiors and exteriors of said bottles when positioned over the receptacle so that the spraying water is caught in said receptacle, and means for subsequently spraying clean, fresh water over the interiors and exteriors of said bottles while still positioned over said receptacle.

2. In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a soaking tank, a water receptacle mounted in the upper portion thereof, an endless carrier arranged to travel above and beneath said receptacle, bottle holders mounted on said carrier, a pump for spraythe exteriors of the bottles as they emerge from the tank at one end thereof, the pump intake being located near the opposite end of the tank from the spray nozzle to thereby create a current of soaking solution in the tank in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the bottles, a pump for spraying water from the receptacle over said bottles, a drive shaft and a drive chain arranged to drive both of said pumps from said shaft.

3. In a bottle washing machine,l the combination of a soaking tank, a water Yreceptacle mounted in the upper portion thereof, a bottle carrier arranged to travel around said receptacle and through the tank, a pump for delivering-soaking solution from said tank to bottles on said carrier, a pump for delivering water from said receptacle to said bottles, a drive shaft, a driving chain connected with said shaft and with both of said pumps, a secondary shaft driven from said drive shaft, and means operated from said secondary shaft for intermittently advancing said bottle carrier.'

4. In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a long, narrow soaking tank, means mounted near the top of the tank for collecting water delivered above said means, an endless conveyer Iarranged to travel around said means from end to end of said tank, individual bottle carriers mounted on said conveyer, means for withdrawing the soaking solution from one end of said 4tank 95 lng the soaking solutlon from said tank over and spraying the same over the bottles as they emerge on said carrier from the other end of the tank, and means for delivering different fluids to lsaid bottles as they pass in succession over said collecting'means.

5. In'a. bottle washing machine, the com-v .bination of a soaking tank, a water receptacle mounted 1n the upper portion thereof a traglgggbove said receptacle, a track in sai tank beneath the receptacle, an endless bot- 10 

